Bogalcun like a great table and, without any descent, and the traveller is conducted by a good road to the capital. Inhabitants. Gundwana is inhabited by various tribes, who seem to receive the generic name of Goands. Their manners and civilization are different, and in various stages of advancement; some, particularly the mountaineers, are rude and savage. They go almost naked, if not entirely so; practise gross superstitions; and dwell in villages consisting of a few huts in places almost inaccessible. But those in the lower and fertile parts of the country are more cultivated, and sufficiently courteous to strangers. The inhabitants of Bogalcund are called Bogals, Bogheleis, or Boghels, synonymes used indifferently; but it is not evident whether they should be considered a distinct race from the Goands of Gundwana. They are reported to have migrated hither from Guzerat many centuries ago, and gradually enlarging their confines by an encroachment on those of their neighbours, expelled a tribe of mountaineers from Shewah, which their chief was induced, by the excellence of its situation, to select for his own residence. It is not unlikely they are of Tartar origin. As this is one of the northern countries of India, whose history and statistics are extremely obscure, very little can be said of the manners, customs, and conditions of its inhabitants. They consist of five different tribes, acknowledging the same government, but without admitting an equal control, or paying the like obedience to it. Part, or the whole, profess the Mahometan religion, and many temples are to be seen in the territory. Three of the tribes follow a practice, too general in the east, of destroying their infant daughters, which must inevitably restrict the population.

The Bogals are skilful in agriculture; and they have many fine tanks, or artificial ponds, conveniences of greater importance in India, and of infinitely greater size than Europeans are wont to conceive. These are generally situate on a declivity, three sides being built up with much art and labour, and the fourth serving as a natural embankment. The agricultural skill of the inhabitants results, in a great measure, from the nature of the government. Here the feudal system prevails, and many of the lands are held by military tenure. The forces have no pay, but, in lieu of it, certain lands are assigned for their subsistence. Their influence is thence very great, and there is not an officer among them with out one or two villages for his support. The country is thus partitioned among innumerable feudatories, who find it their interest to promote agriculture in order to provide more amply for their own subsistence. It is common with the peasantry to change their abode at intervals of three or four years, for the purpose of tilling the ground whereon their cottages stood. The traces of villages recently abandoned are, therefore, frequently to be seen, and would indicate declining prosperity, did not their renewal in other places, as often presented to view, prove the reverse.

The chief town of Bogalcund is Rewah, which is large and populous. It is situate on the small river

Bichanuddy, rising twenty miles to the east, and Bogaleund. joined by the Behanuddy just above the town. The united stream runs immediately under a large fort in the capital, which includes the houses of the most wealthy and respectable inhabitants, and where the Rajah resides. In the neighbourhood are some memorials of the slain, who lately fell in a great battle, wherein the Bogals were victorious against an invading enemy. Rewah stands in lat. 24° 37' north, and 81° 25' east longitude; distant 126 miles north-east of Benares.

This district is under the government of an inde- Governpendent Rajah, who is said to be the Maher-Rajah, ment. or sovereign of several neighbouring territories; and although the Rajah of Bundelcund is himself quite independent, and infinitely the more powerful of the two, it is necessary for him to be invested by the Rajah of Bogalcund, wherein we find another analogy to feudal principles. His revenues are very small, principally owing to the subdivisions of the district; for it has sometimes excited astonishment that the sovereign of so fertile a territory should be so poor. He receives an inconsiderable tribute from the Rajahs acknowledging his superiority, land-rents, and customs on merchandise passing through the capital.

Ali Bahauder, a Mahratta chief who holds a powerful command in the army of the Peshwa, or Head of the nation, threatened Bogalcund with invasion about the year 1794 or 1795, to levy contributions from the Rajah, which he was little enabled to afford. But he was beloved by his subjects, and Ali Bahauder having put his menaces in execution, he raised an army of about 3000 men to oppose him. The enemy advanced with 6000 men, carrying every thing in his course, until arriving within two miles of the capital. There he was encountered, and totally defeated by the Rajah, with the loss of his General and his cannon. The invader vowed to revenge the destruction of this army, and the death of his Gene-ral. He again collected a powerful force, and invaded Bogalcund a second time, in the year 1795; but the Rajah, then aged and incapable of the exertion necessary to resist so active an enemy, purchased peace by concessions. Either at this time or previously, he engaged to pay Ali Bahauder L. 14,500 Sterling,-a stipulation which he proved totally unable to perform, and a neighbouring Rajah, who had become security for the payment, and required hostages for his indemnification, afterwards obtained the cession of a valuable district in Bogalcund, probably from having been obliged to fulfil his part of the engagement. But this was not the only calamity; for a supervening scarcity in the succeeding season followed the depredations of Ali Bahauder's troops. The natural fertility of the soil, however, and importation of various commodities from Misapour, contributed to relieve the inhabitants, and the country began to recover speedily from the disasters it had been exposed to. Nevertheless, its dismemberment, at no distant period, was anticipated, from the growing poverty and declining power of the Rajah, though the nature of the soil, and the state of agriculture, were both suf

Bohaddin.

On

Bogalcand ficient to support a numerous population. Former # ly, the influence of the Rajahs of Bogalcund was very considerable in Indian affairs, and they have been known to afford an asylum to powerful Princes, whom temporary adversity exiled from their own dominions. Here the illustrious Emperor of the Moguls, Ackber, was born in the year 1542. occasion of a usurpation of the empire, his father, Humayoon, retired from Delhi; and his mother, when pregnant, was, for greater security, sent to a strong fortress, where, tradition reports, she was almost immediately taken in labour. But the Astrologers of the day having previously determined that future felicity would attend the child who should be born at a certain moment, she was sus pended, during two hours, by the legs, in order to retard the period of delivery, and then being taken down, the great Ackber saw the light. More recently, when his descendant, Shah Aulum, was dispossessed of the throne of Delhi, in the course of last century, by the invasion of another potentate, he sought refuge with Ajet Sing, the Rajah, of whom we have already spoke; and here, also, between the years 1750 and 1760, one of his wives was delivered of a prince, whom she called Ackber, in commemoration of his ancestor, and who lately survived at the capital, Delhi, which was restored to him. But the future greatness of the latter Prince being of less importance, his mother probably escaped the cruel experiment to which the parent of Ackber was subjected. (S.)

BOHADDIN, or, more properly, BOн-A-EDDYN, an eminent Arabian Writer and Statesman; is better known in the East under the appellation of IbnSjeddad, the son of Sjeddad. He was born at Mossul, in the year 539 of the Hegira. (1145 A. D.) He early became eminent in the study of the Koran, and of the traditions and controversies founded on it, as well as that of Jurisprudence. At twenty-seven, he obtained the place of Repeater or Lecturer at Bagdad; and, soon after, a Professor's chair, in a College, founded at Mossul. In 1187, he made the pilgrimage to Mecca, and then proceeded to visit Jerusalem and Hebron. In passing through Damascus, he was sent for by Saladin, who was then employed in the siege of Kancab. The Sultan. seems to have been pleased with the interview; and, his Secretary Omad-Eddyn-Isfahamy, a man of great learning and eloquence, advised him, after completing his pilgrimage, to present himself again before Saladin. Our author had observed, as he himself mentions (Vita Saladini, ch. v.), that the whole soul of the Monarch was engrossed by the war which he was then waging against the enemies of the faith; and, that the only mode of acquiring his favour was, by urging him to its vigor. ous prosecution. He, therefore, composed a treatise on the Laws and Discipline of Sacred War; and made a collection of all the passages in the Koran and the books of traditions, in which, the extermination of infidels was recommended and enforced. This work, on his return, he presented to Saladin, who received both it and the author with peculiar favour. Bohaddin, from this time, remain

ed constantly attached to the person of the Sultan, Bobaddin. and was employed in various important embassies and departments of civil government. That Prince seems also to have sought, by the friendship of so eminent a doctor, to exalt the reputation for sanctity, of which he was extremely ambitious. Often while riding through the ranks, Bohaddin rode by his side, and read to him passages out of the Koran or its interpreters, to which Saladin lent more apparent attention than to the arrangements of the army. Our author was now appointed to two important posts; those of Judge of the Army, and Judge of Jerusalem. In this latter capacity, an incident occurred, which he adduces to prove the impartial justice exercised by the Sultan. A merchant presented himself at the tribunal of Bohaddin, and complained, that he had been unjustly deprived of a large sum of money. On being asked the author of the injury, he replied, "the Sultan himself." Here the Judge deemed it expedient to suspend proceedings, until the case was laid before the royal defendant. Saladin, on learning the circumstances, denied the truth of the charge; but said, that the man should have justice. Accordingly, he was introduced into his presence; the Sultan descending from his throne, placed himself in the posture of a defendant; and each pleaded his own cause before Bohaddin. The latter decided (on just grounds as he alleges) in favour of Saladin; and even hinted, that the temerity of the plaintiff merited some portion of chastisement. The Sultan, however, dismissed the person not only unpunished, but with the present of a handsome robe, and a large sum of money.

Bohaddin continued in favour with Saladin during the whole of that Monarch's life, and boasts, that he often obtained ready admission, while the principal officers and generals were waiting in vain for an audience. After the Sultan's death, he was active in securing the throne to his son, Melik-al-Dhaker. That prince created him Cadhi of his capital, Aleppo, which gave Bohaddin an opportunity of founding in that city a College, of which he himself was the principal Professor. Under his auspices, the sciences, which had greatly declined in Aleppo, soon rose to more than their former lustre. Melik-al-Dhaker dying, left his son, Melik-al-Aziz, a minor, and Bohaddin obtained the principal sway in the Regency. This gave him an opportunity of introducing learned men at court, and loading them with honours. As the prince, however, approached to manhood, he attached himself to more youthful counsellors; Bohaddin, then, though he still retained his offices, found it expedient to retire from court, and devote himself entirely to the pursuits of learning. Even after he was unable to go to college, he continued to give lectures in his own house; and he persevered in these learned labours till the age of ninety, when he died, on the 29th October 1235. (Hegira 633.)

Bohaddin wrote several works on Jurisprudence and Moslem Divinity; but, the only one that can be interesting to us is his Life and Actions of Saladin ; which, with several other pieces connected with the

Bohaddin same subject, was published by Albert Schultens, at # Leyden, in 1732, accompanied by a somewhat inBombay. ,elegant Latin translation; also by notes, and a Geographical Index. This work affords a favourable specimen of the historical compositions of the Arabs. Neither Bohaddin, however, nor any of his contemporaries, can enter into competition with those great historians, who have adorned the better ages of European literature. They display no philosophical views nor accurate discrimination of character; but confine themselves chiefly to a mere chronological record of events. The work of Bohaddin is written with some spirit, and, at the same time, is free from that verbose and empty inflation which deforms the composition of some of his contemporaries. Whatever relates to Saladin, breathes, of course, the highest tone of panegyric; yet, the enthusiasm with which every thing about him is narrated, and the anecdotes which the author, from his own personal knowledge, is able to communicate respecting that extraordinary character, give his work a great degree of interest. (B.)

Island.

Town of

BOMBAY. The account of Bombay in the Encyclopædia, contains several interesting particulars relative to its soil, climate, and the manners of its inhabitants, and we propose, in the present article, to add such farther information as we have collected from the works of recent observers.

The Island of Bombay, which is the seat of Government for the western part of India, is situate in lat. 18° 56′ N. and lon. 72° 56′ E. Its length, from north to south, is 61 miles, and its breadth, near the fort, is about a mile. It is separated from the mainland by an arm of the sea, and it forms, in conjunction with the adjacent islands of Colabah, Salsette, Butcher's Island, Elephanta, and Caranjah, a large, commodious, and well sheltered harbour. The north side of the harbour is partly formed by the Island of Colabah, which is separat ed from Bombay by a small creek, fordable at low water, and is about 2 miles long. Near its southern extremity stands the light-house,-a building of a circular form, rising from the sea to the height of 150 feet, and shewing its light at the distance of 21 miles. The Island of Salsette, which is about 20 miles long and 15 broad, is separated from Bombay by a narrow arm of the sea. Over this strait a causeway was constructed in 1805, which, by improving the communication with the mainland, is of infinite service to the surrounding country, with the produce of which Bombay is supplied; but it is said to have had a prejudicial effect on the harbour. Butcher's Island is nearly opposite to Bombay Castle, at the distance of three miles; and about two miles from this, and still fronting the fort, is the inconsiderable, but celebrated, Island of Elephanta. The two small Islands of Henery and Kenery, lie at the entrance of the harbour.

The town of Bombay is nearly a mile in length, Bombay from the Apollo Gate to that of the Bazar, and about a quarter of a mile broad in the widest part, from the Custom-house across the green to Church Gate, which is nearly in the centre, between the Apollo and the Bazar Gates. There are likewise two gates towards the sea, having commodious

VOL. II. PART II.

wharfs, and cranes built out from each, with a land. Bombay. ing-place for passengers. Between these gates is Bombay Castle,-a regular quadrangle, built of hard and durable stone, and having the advantage, in one of the bastions, of a large reservoir of water. The fortifications are numerous, and they have been improved in proportion as the place has risen into greater importance from its increasing trade. They have lately received a considerable accession of strength from Dunganee Hill, which commanded the town, having been included within the fort; and towards the sea they are extremely strong, the harbour being completely commanded by ranges of batteries placed one above another. But on the land side, its means of resistance are not so formidable; nor is this of much moment, as an enemy once landed, would find no difficulty in possessing himself of the place. A bombardment would, in a few hours, lay the town in ashes; and were the houses, which are lofty and made of combustible materials, once on fire, the troops could no longer preserve their station on the ramparts. Indeed, it is probable, that the destruction of the magazines would be the consequence of the conflagration of the adjacent buildings.

In the centre of the town is a large open space, called the Green, around which are many large and well-built handsome houses. Here is also the church, which has an extremely neat and light appearance; and, on the left of the church-gate is the Government-house, which is a showy edifice, but liable to the inconvenience of having the largest apartments in both floors a passage-room to the others. On the right of the church-gate is the Bazar, which is crowded and populous. Here the native merchants reside, and at the entrance to the street stands the Theatre, which is a handsome building. In the year 1803, this part of the town was greatly injured by a destructive fire, which destroyed nearly three-fourths of the Bazar, together with the barracks, customhouse, and many other public buildings, besides property of immense value belonging to native merchants. The flames spread with such rapidity, that the magazine was endangered; and, in order to preserve the town from total destruction, many houses in the neighbourhood of the castle were battered down with artillery. Since this period, the town has been rebuilt on an improved plan, at the expence of the Company.

Bombay is the only principal settlement in India Docks and where the rise of the tides is sufficient to admit the Ship-buildconstruction of docks on a great scale. The highest ing. spring tides rise to the height of 17 feet, and the height of the ordinary tides is 14 feet. In consequence of these natural advantages, the dry-dock of · Bombay has scarce its equal for size and convenience; having three divisions, with a pair of strong gates to each, so that it is capable of receiving three ships of the line at the same time. Near this dock is a convenient place to heave down several ships at once, and this operation is well executed, and with great expedition, by the Persees, who are generally accounted excellent ship-carpenters. Here is an excellent rope-walk, equal to any in England, with the exception of the King's yard at Portsmouth, ху

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